Gardaí labelled ‘worse than Black and Tans’ in street row

Gardaí were abused as “Free State bastards” and “worse than Black and Tans” by a man who felt he had been unfairly singled out during a violent incident in Cork.

At Cork District Court yesterday, Stephen Murnane, aged 31, of Apt 1, 5 Verdon Row, Wellington Rd, Cork, denied being threatening and abusive or refusing to give his name and address to gardaí.

At the height of the incident, Murnane had to be held down by three gardaí and handcuffed, and he shouted back at them that if they took off their uniforms and badges he would fight them one-on-one.